The Black Music Student Association

Now I am finding myself just waiting for the end. So many weeks left and yet so little time to do the things that I would like to. I hate writing in Chinese officially now. Every time I try to express something it doesn't become clear to native speakers, but they must deal with this too when they write English. It is as if we really don't think the same way at all. This must be the most frustrating thing for learners of a second language. Speaking is not very difficult as long as you get your meaning across through strings of words, but writing is more organized and more definite. It takes time to nurture this skill and with the environment we have here at NCCU there is just no way. For the 9000 USD I put down to come here I may as well have hired a private tutor to help me and got much further. Essentially, this is what I need.

The rice, the noodles, the soups, the life are all right, but now I am really ready to go home. I miss Tex-Mex and fajitas. In fact, when I get back I will eat as much Mexican food until I can't breathe anymore, and yes taco bell will be good too. At the same time there are a lot of things that I don't miss about home. I don't miss the discrimination, the hectic nights of studying, the days when I want to cry because I am lonely, days when I argue with someone and just days when the world seems to be falling apart. Here there is a lot to miss, but I won't miss the discrimination I face here hidden within a weave of social disconnect and language barriers. No matter where I go in the world, Black means bad things and no matter how much you wish people could see you better they won't. They love our clothes, our music, but not our skin. How ironic that they can feel this way and not understand the Jay-Z's lyrics in his albums. We can't change our skin, and we must not believe we are born with bad blood. Just have to hope that we can change the world's view of Black. Still racism will be hidden behind a special term we now call "preference".

Nothing happened this past week but studying and reminiscing about good old southern breakfasts in the states. Maybe next weekend will be more interesting.